Association gets go-ahead to transform historic farm [Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (PA)]

Pittsburgh_Tribu, 2013-03-13

Ligonier Township supervisors Tuesday approved plans for the Loyalhanna Watershed Association to turn a historic Ligonier property into office and meeting space for the group.

The association will convert an 1880s-era farmhouse and barn on the 123-acre property formerly known as the McConnaughey Farm, but leave the rest of the property undeveloped. A portion of the property will be used for leasing farmland to local farmers and the rest of it will be seeded with natural grasses and plants to return the land to a natural wetland habitat.

Two floors of the farmhouse will be used for office space and a conference room, plans show.

The barn will be used for seminars and workshops and will be available for use by other environmental groups, association executive director Susan Huba said.

The $1.5 million project will include "green initiatives," including minimally altering its footprint, reusing existing structures, using natural and recycled construction materials and making energy-efficient improvements to the structures, Huba said.

In October, the township's zoning hearing board approved the property, located in a residential district, for civic use.

The group came before the supervisors this week to seek approval of an alternative parking plan and permission to use limited lighting at the facility.

"We want to keep it like a farm. It will be maintained like a farm," said Timothy Fyock of Benchmark Engineering.

The township ordinance requires 1/2-foot candles of lighting on parking lots, footpaths and entrances.

The association's plan for LED-type lighting would not meet that requirement, Fyock said.

The proposal calls for alternative parking to be used for a few annual events at the Ligonier Country Market lot off Springer Road. That property is owned by the association.

Supervisors unanimously approved the plan. More than 20 people attended the public hearing for the occupancy use permit in support of the project.

"The McConnaughey family is interested in seeing that farm preserved," said Rose Stepnick, who has corresponded with Charlie Stough, the son of the late Mary Catherine McConnaughey Stough, who grew up on the farm.

The association is now housed in the former township municipal building on Andi Lane, just west of Ligonier. The former municipal building will be torn down, Huba said.

Jewels Phraner is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-850-1218 or jphraner@tribweb.com.

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